3 Samh 2011, 16:09
The Oireachtas Joint Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality has welcomed improvements in conditions at Mountjoy Prison and the commitment to prisoner welfare and reform in Ireland’s prisons.
Members of the Oireachtas Committee visited Mountjoy Prison and St Patrick’s Institute yesterday (Wednesday, 2nd November) to view first hand the work and challenges faced by the prison staff every day.
Committee Chairman, David Stanton TD, said: “During our visits, we had an opportunity to view directly the actual conditions in which prisoners live and prison staff work. We welcome the improvements we witnessed in conditions and the commitment to prison reform and prisoner welfare.
In the past, much of the coverage of these institutions focused on issues such as the availability of illegal drugs, overcrowding and slopping out. From our visit yesterday it is clear that progress has been made in addressing the problems.
There is also a good news story to be told about prisons which we were fortunate to observe during our visit to Mountjoy and St Patrick’s. There are a number of workshops in the prison teaching skills such as computer skills, TV repair, decorating, tiling and building which give prisoners the opportunity to develop skills which they will be able to use when released and enable them to lead law-abiding lives and re-integrate into society. These courses are so popular among prisoners that all now have a waiting list.
Prisoners also use some of these skills to maintain the prison. For example, during the Committee visit, there were a number of areas being painted by prisoners and the Committee was impressed by this innovative approach.
The Committee wishes to compliment the Governor of Mountjoy, Edward Whelan, the Governor of St Patrick's Institute, Hector MacLennan and all their staff for what was a truly enlightening experience and a demonstration of how well the prison system can work.
This visit will serve to inform the recently established Sub-Committee on Penal Reform which will meet shortly to discuss its work plan.”
For further information please contact:
Ciaran Brennan,
Houses of the Oireachtas,
Communications Unit,
Leinster House,
Dublin 2
P: +3531 618 3903
M: 086-0496518
F: +3531 618 4551
Committee Membership:
Deputies:
Dara Calleary, Michael Creed,Tom Hayes, Seán Kenny, Finian McGrath, Jonathan O’Brien, David Stanton (Chairman), Billy Timmins and Joanna Tuffy [Vice-Chairman]
Senators:
Ivana Bacik, Paul Bradford, Martin Conway, Rónán Mullen, Denis O’Donovan.